I sat on top of a tree, my gaze scanning the forest that resided around me, it was quiet, the sound of leaves rustling ever so softly in my ear and the smell of dewdrops laced within the cold morning breeze I felt on my skin, it was calming.
I kept my claymore close, the blade planted on my back, a friend who would always watch my blindspots.
"What are you doing?" The girl from last night pondered, her bag strapped to her back along with her staff.
"None of your business-" I muttered, looking down at her, leaning forward on the branch with a slight scowl. "Why are you following me."
The girl got defensive at my words, pouting up to me with a scowl of her own. "First of all, how rude! We've just so happened to be going in the same direction, second of all—"
Something else caught my attention as she spoke, my head turning off into the distance, further down our path.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Honestly, how could–" She carried on and on, though I paid no mind.
"Something's out there," I interrupted, jumping off the branch with my stuff in tow and taking it along with me without a second thought.
"I'm following it," I announced, leaving the girl in confusion to what I could possibly be mentioning.
"H-hey! Wait for me!"I heard her call out, rushing over to me as fast as she could go.
Though the path we led was an easy one, its difficulty was not determined by the physical obstacles we faced, but by the length of our journey. The morning cold soon made its way as the sun heated the earth.
"So, what was your mom like?" The girl spoke up about your travel, yet I remained silent, letting her question rest.
She bit her lip softly at the lack of response, yet she tried again, in hopes of starting a conversation.
"Was she nice?.. I bet she was." Awkward silence remained, "O-oh! My name, I haven't told you my name have I?"
She ran up to me until she could look me in the eye as she spoke, a proud smile on her face.
"I'm Ayla, Ayla Froshier! And you are?" She looked p at me with hopeful eyes, hoping I respond, a soft sigh escaped my lips, deciding to humor her just this once.
"Mihalis, I don't have a last name." I walked up ahead, hoping to end the conversation there but she then picked up speed soon after me.
"No last name, huh?"
"Do you know your sign at least?" She continued.
"I'm not a mage-" I sighed,
"I suppose you're right-" She took a minute more, her finger to her lip as she pondered what else to say. "O-oh! What's your-"
I stopped in my tracks, Ayla looking over to me in confusion to what I was doing. I let out a slow exhale and my hand reached for my sword, wrapping around the hilt with a fierce grip.
"Don't move, we're being stalked," I drew my claymore, the grass around it moving at the gust of wind it created. I could hear scuttling in the background, my eyes drawn towards a creature on all fours staring at us from the darkness, it had no face, instead replaced with a mask with six eyes, and long scales that mimic dark gemstones imbued with shadow, reaching all the way to its girthy tail which it idly swings as it watched us.
Its head cocked to the side and bared its claws.
"What is that thing…" Ayla asked, holding her staff close as she prepared to battle herself.
"No clue," I responded, getting into a battle position, my legs twisted and my front foot turned outwards, keeping the one at the back on the ball of my foot. I grabbed my claymore with both hands slightly twisting my torso and pointing the claymore downwards yet slightly above my head.
Ayla stood behind me, watching the two of us from a distance. The creature slowly showed himself, the light glistening on its sharp scales as they shook, indicating the start of battle.
My eyes narrowed, and my breathing slowed as it darted off to me, it was almost a blur but I swung my sword in front of me, blocking a headbutt from the creature. Sparks flew and my feet desecrated the soil as I was pushed back with gritted teeth.
The monster leaped again to land another attack, bearing its claw on me, I hopped back, hoping to clear some distance while avoiding the attack, anchoring my feet into the floor before leaping off with explosive force and precision, coiling my body and swung with all my might against the beast's hard scales.
The ground broke under the weight, and sparks flew across the field. I stepped back, watching as the monster slowly rose once more and shook the damage off like it was nothing, some of its hardened scales falling to the floor, broken from its roots but otherwise unscathed.
Ayla watched in awe as she saw me shuffle slowly around the battlefield, surrounding the creature as its head followed me.
I waited, and waited, hoping for the moment it decided to attack, and surely it did. As it charged my heart was pounding with anticipation and excitement yet I kept my breathing steady, my legs slid across the field, bending my knees so that I was under it.
My knees took me across the grassy area, sliding almost as if I were on a field of ice itself, my sword finding refuge on the soft part of the beast's stomach.
Crimson spewed from the open wound, the beast flailing in the spot it landed, quickly recovering before I found another opportunity.
"It wasn't deep enough…" I muttered, getting back into the stance I started with.
Ayla kept watching, trying to figure out if I needed help or not, though her mind was entranced in the fight before her.
"This style…" She muttered, shallowing the lump that would form in her throat. "I wonder-"
The beast stomped in anger, charging after me once more. With a quick pivot, I managed to get out of the way but I overlooked its tail and clung to my foot, and with one clean swish I was sent flying into the trees that surrounded us.
"Mihalis!" Ayla shouted after me, the beast's head snapping at her as she screamed, causing her to freeze in place from fear. She dare not breathe under its gaze.
The creature slowly approached her, only stopping in its tracks when it heard the sound of tree bark cracking in the distance.
"What are you doing all the way over there!" I shouted, blood trickling from my head and mouth. "The two of us aren't done yet!"
Without a moment's hesitation, the beast darted for me, its claws digging up the earth under it until we were face to face.
"That's more like it," I muttered, watching as it raised its claws to overwhelm me. My arm swinging my claymore upwards as I tried to match its strength, we remained on a stale mate for seconds, my hand pulling sideways on the blade to cause our collision to slide off course, sparks formed the cracks of this claws before his grip slipped at the blade goes straight for the creature's neck.
My claymore gets lodged in it, crimson leaking from the wound, and the beast trying its beast to finish me off right then and there. I lodged my feet into the ground, pulling with all my might, watching as the sword gradually depended on the wound I inflicted.
No matter how many times I get bashed and hit with the tail of this creature I refuse to let go, for if this sword gets stuck, I've already lost.
It raised its tail once more, getting ready to bash me once more, I closed my eyes bracing for impact.
"God of water, heed my prayers bless me with your eternal fountain, and guide my magic through the hearts of my enemies." I heard mumbling from the distance, looking over the Ayla who wielded her staff, her hand outstretched in confidence as she yelled.
"Water bullet!" water started to be sucked from the plants around her, causing a ball of water to swish and turn before her. It all happened in a split second as it was shot off, breaking through the tail of the creature.
In its moment of pain and confusion, I took one last dive, the blade making clean work of its neck, gore, and crimson spilled from the wound, the beast finally falling to my feet.
I panted softly, looking down at the beast with a victorious sigh. Soon falling to my feet as the wounds inflicted started to set past the adrenaline.
"Mihalis! Hang in there!" Ayla cried, running up to me, my consciousness slowly fading.
[System survival protocol; Slow regeneration….]
"What.."